Paranormal Activity Investigators

Location Information

Date:23rd April, 2016     Type:Business

Location Title:Wyeth Tootle Mansion - Visit 2     City/State:St. Joseph, MO

Investigation Times:09:00 PM - 01:00 AM     Status:Analysis

 

Weather Information

Sunrise:06:29 AM   Sunset:08:04 PM

High Temperature:66 °F   Low Temperature:45 °F

Sky Condition:Clear   Wind:SSE at 14 mph

Humidity:66%   Precipitation:0%

Lunar Phase:Waning Gibbous   % disk visible:98%

Solar X-Rays:Normal   Geomagnetic Field:Unsettled

Pressure:30.04 mmHg

 

Investigators Present

Angela Hodge

Sevren Jacobs

Jenny Kerr

Tania Marg

Becky Ray

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joint investigation with 

APEX Paranormal  - http://www.theapexparanormalonline.com/

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Location History

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From http://www.stjoemo.info/

St. Joseph is known for its quantity of beautiful mansions built around the turn of the 20th century, and the Wyeth-Tootle Mansion at the corner of Eleventh and Charles Streets is a prime example.

William and Eliza Wyeth moved to St. Joseph in 1859, and William soon developed his small wholesale-retail business into the prosperous Wyeth Hardware and Manufacturing Company and Wyeth Saddle Factory. In 1879, the Wyeths hired architect E.J. Eckel to design this 43-room, Gothic style mansion with a panoramic view of the city and the Missouri River. A unique feature was the turret on the north side, which made the mansion resemble a castle. Over one million bricks were used in the construction. The front of the building was covered with native sandstone. The Wyeths decorated the interior with ornate parquet floors and walnut woodwork. The front part of the house, which has the sandstone exterior, was the family residence. The rear extension with the brick exterior housed the kitchen, pantries, and servants' quarters. The first floor, with its large rooms opening onto a central hall, was mainly used for entertaining. The second floor contained bedroom suites, and the third floor served as servant workrooms and bedrooms. The tower contained an entrance on the north side of the house and a staircase to the first floor. The Wyeths lived in their castle-home for less than ten years. In the spring of 1887, they sold the home to Mrs. Kate Tootle.

Kate Tootle was the recent widow of Milton Tootle, Sr., Milton's obituary identified him as "the builder of the prosperity of St. Joseph and the leader of its 'Golden Age.'" His business interests included mercantile establishments, the Western Bank of Missouri, and the Tootle Opera House. At his death, he had amassed the largest fortune of any individual in the city. Kate continued with many of his business interests. After purchasing the home, she hired the New York firm of Pottier and Stymus to redecorate the interior. The main hall featured a walnut paneled ceiling and an elaborately carved staircase. The parquet floors, in keeping with the style of the time, were almost entirely covered with area rugs and furniture. Two stained glass windows were added on the stairway landings. One resembled a Renaissance-style painting, and the other is of beautifully cut stained glass. The ceilings were covered with canvases of Austrian artists. Kate's son, Milton Tootle, Jr., was the next occupant of the house. He and his wife, Lillian, added a large porch to the south side and a family dining room on the southeast side. A 1932 newspaper article described Milton Tootle's home: "The ceilings were painted in Europe, and the walls were lined with heavy draperies, nearly an inch thick, with elaborate handwork appliques made of materials the manufacture of which has become a lost art. And charming objects of art on every side intrigue the imagination and aid in the creation of an esthetic atmosphere." 

The rooms on the first floor were the French Reception Room of black and gold woodwork, the Louis the XVI sitting room with cherubs painted on the ceiling, the library, the formal dining room, the Moorish Room with its Middle Eastern decor, and the Early American family dining room. At the rear of the first floor were the servants' dining and food preparation room, as well as a kitchen.

When Milton Tootle, Jr. died in 1946, the home became available for purchase. William Goetz, St. Joseph Museum board president, and the M.K. Goetz Brewing Company donated the money to purchase the building and the museum matched the amount to adapt the private home into a public museum. After sixty years as a museum, the first floor of the building is being restored to its Victorian grandeur and furnishings are being added. The formal dining room on the first floor is complete with Wyeth family china, furnishings, and portraits. Photographs of the home taken around 1900 are on exhibit throughout the building. The second floor features a restored Victorian bedroom and exhibits on the architecture of the famous St. Joseph architect E.J. Eckel. Eckel designed the 1879 Mansion and 75 percent of the structures in St. Joseph. Other featured exhibits include the impact of early St. Joseph businesses that had a national impact such as the Chase Candy Company, Hillyard Chemical Company, and the M.K. Goetz Brewing Company. The third floor contains exhibits on the natural history of the area.

 

Investigators Notes

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Angela Hodge:This is my 2nd time visiting this location. Each time I have felt some sort of energy in this house. On this visit on the 3rd floor we sat around in the hallway doing an EVP session. I noticed at the end of the hallway which would be the front of the house. I kept thinking I was seeing shadows on one side going back and forth. I wasn't for sure on it, but I let others know in case someone else saw the same thing.
The 3rd floor gives off a weird vibe to me especially the room to left as you come up the stairs. It makes me like I am going to fall, but just in that room. As soon as you leave it the feelings go away. 
I went down to the 2nd floor and nothing came to me or gave off any sort of feelings to me. 
The 1st floor was quiet as well for me. The basement made me feel off, could be cause of the mold or old stones that hold up the house not sure exactly. At the end of the hallway I sat in a chair next to a clothing hanger for table cloths. The chair made me feel extremely uneasy and at a point I felt like I needed to get up from the chair, like something was pushing me away from the area. 
The area back in the corner kept giving me a weird vibe I couldn't pin what, but it made me feel like I needed to get out of the basement. I alerted the the rest of the group with me and they also checked it out. 
All in all the place is just really neat and beautiful and well kept. I'm not sure if it's per say haunted, but it definitely has a vibe that gives off a residuals effect that definitely plays mind games with you.

 

Tania Marg:I checked all the old active spots when I came in. The area by the front door and in the parquet floored room was no longer active, although the spot by the Wedgewood in the parquet floored room was still active. Second floor kid's room was not as active but still a little something, third floor room by the electrical room was active feeling. It might have just been because it was near the electrical room, but it didn't set off Becky's EMF detector. I kept feeling like something was in there whenever we were nearby doing our EVP session on the third floor and from when I first came up to check it out with Jenny, but nothing happened with that room. The only room I saw any activity in on the third floor was shadow activity in the back room to the left of the staircase on the third floor. I did hear some faint music noises on the third floor and Elijah confirmed that as well, and shortly afterwards he went downstairs to see if music was playing outside. I kept seeing something going back and forth rather quickly, which I couldn't think of an explanation for. On the second floor, nothing happened besides hearing the loud whistle that Becky and Elijah also heard. I thought it was someone else but not a lot of us can actually whistle that well, actually. The only other thing that happened was in the basement with the locker that felt odd (nauseating, kind of "off" feeling) which moved when Sevren was standing in front of it (but I can confirm that she wasn't leaning on it) and sitting in the chair nearby it (I had the same feelings). The first floor was a no-go, nothing happened. This time, there just seemed to be less going on than on the November visit.

 

Becky Ray:This was a joint investigation with APEX Paranormal. 
We are still going over evidence collected and I will post more about this investigation soon!

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Previous Investigations at this Location
 

Wyeth Tootle Mansion - Visit 1, 13th November, 2015